Method of making free form wax designs by casting wax in water

ABSTRACT

The method includes the steps of pouring melted wax onto the surface of a pan of cool water so that the wax solidifies in an arbitrary pattern or design. After the wax has hardened sufficiently to enable removal of the same from the pan as an integral mass, it may serve as an ornamental plaque or in accord with further steps of the method be rolled into an open ended cylindrical shape to provide a lamp shade.

United States Patent Waddill July 8, 1975 [54] METHOD OF MAKING FREEFORM WAX 2,553,365 5/1951 Ferris 264/298 X DESIGNS BY CASTING WAX INWATER 3,046,178 7/1962 Tupper 161/71 X 3,094,375 6/1963Halford.......... 264/298 X Inventor: Alfred William Waddill, 169373,230,284 1 1966 Iverson et al. 264/73 Willard, Van Nuys, Calif. 91406Prima ExaminerR0bert F. White 22 Fl (1: l 20,1971 I 1 l C J y AssistantExaminerWillard E. Hoag [21] Appl. No.: 164,338

[57] ABSTRACT 52 11.5. C1 264/245; 264/298 Th method includes the stepsof pouring melted wax [51] Int. Cl. B29c 27/24 n he urface of a pan ofcool water so that the wax 58 Field 61 Search 264/298, 73, 245, 250,solidifies in an arbitrary pattern or design- After the 264/255; 161/71,7; 431/288; 425/803 Wax has hardened sufficiently to enable removal ofthe same from the pan as an integral mass, it may serve as [56]References Cited an ornamental plaque or in accord with further stepsUNITED STATES PATENTS of the method be rolled into an open endedcylindrical 1,321,401 11/1919 Sommer 81 a1 264/298 x Shape prov'de alamp shade 2,087,504 7/1937 Davis 264/301 3 Claims, 6 Drawing FiguresMETHOD OF MAKING FREE FORM WAX DESIGNS BY CASTING WAX IN WATER Thisinvention relates to methods of making wax products and to the resultingproducts themselves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Decorative wax products are well known inthe art. For example, candle sticks of unique design have been formed bysuccessively dripping wax about the exterior of a base wax form and insome instances different colored waxes may be used to build up a pyramidof wax. Other wax products have been made in various types of molds butin these latter methods, the resulting products formed from any one moldare all substantially identical.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION While it is known to providefree form wax products such as by dripping wax onto a base structure,full advantage has not been taken of the properties of wax in theformation of arbitrary and unique wax patterns and designs.

The present invention contemplates a novel method of making free formwax designs wherein each resulting product is unique unto itself.Briefly, the method includes the steps of filling a shallow pan having aperimeter following a desired contour with cool water. A given quantityof wax sufficient to cover the area of the surface of the water to agiven thickness is melted and poured onto the surface of the water bysweeping motions over the surface following a desired path until theentire surface of the water is covered. After the wax has solidified, itis removed from the pan as an integral mass of wax. The resultingproduct can be used as a plaque the front surface exhibiting a design inrelief which is wholly arbitrary although it may be determined to someextent by the sweeping path followed while pouring the wax into the pan.

In accord with further steps of the method, the integral mass of waxafter removal from the pan and before it has hardened completely may bemolded about a cyliznlrical form and the edges sealed together to forman open ended cylinder of wax. This cylinder may be used as a lampshade.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the methodand resulting products of this invention will be had by now referring tothe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is an exploded view illustrating one product which may be formedin accordance with the method of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the components of FIG. 1 inassembled relationship;

FIG. 3 illustrates a plaque which may be formed in accord with themethod of this invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates certain steps in performing the method of theinvention;

FIG. 5 illustrates an additional step in accord with a method forforming one type of product; and

FIG. 6 shows a final step in the forming of the product in accord withthe step of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. I, there isillustrated by way of example a physical product which may be formed inaccord with the method of this invention. As shown, this product is inthe form of a lamp including a stand 10 for supporting a source of lightwhich may comprise a candle holder 11 and candle 12. An open endedcylinder comprised entirely of wax is illustrated at 13 and is arrangedto be positioned on the stand to surround the light source or handle.The exterior surface includes a design in relief as shown at 14 whichmay be entirely arbitrary.

FIG. 2 illustrates the open ended wax cylinder 13 in position on thestand 10 to surround the light source. The wax material issemitransparent so that the exterior relief portions will be illuminatedby the light source. The wax may be multi-colored to enhance theornamental appearance.

FIG. 3 shows another product in the form ofa plaque 15 made entirely ofwax and having on its front surface an arbitrary design in relief asindicated at 16. The wax forming the plaque may be multi-colored andalso semitransparent so that a light source positioned behind the plaquewill illuminate the design in relief.

Referring now to FIG. 4 the method involved in forming the productsshown in FIG. I, 2 and 3 will be described. As shown, there is initiallyprovided a shallow pan 17 having a perimeter following a desiredcontour. In the example chosen, this perimeter constitutes a rectangle.The pan I7 is filled with cool water 18. A given quantity of wax ismelted and this wax may be divided into separate containers I9, 20 and2I, each container having a different colored wax.

The melted wax is poured onto the surface of the water as indicated bythe arrows while at the same time executing manual sweeping motions ofthe container over the surface. These sweeping motions may follow adesired path such as circular or back and forth motions. The pouringfrom the different containers may take place alternately to result in amixing of the various colored waxes.

The pouring of the wax is continued until the entire surface of thewater is covered and the pan I7 is filled to a desired thickness of thewax. The wax itself is almost immediately solidified upon striking thecool water. However, depending upon the height from which the pouringtakes place and the viscosity of the wax, it will penetrate the surfaceof the water as it strikes the surface to a certain depth and at acertain angle and will almost immediately solidify into an arbitraryshape. The wax itself will float in a solidified condition so that theupper surface of the wax after the entire area of the water is coveredwill be relatively smooth.

The wax is permitted to remain in the pan 17 until it has solidified tothe extent that it can be removed from the pan as an integral mass ofwax. Thus in the particular product illustrated in FIG. 3, the samecould be formed by the process steps described thus far, the resultingplaque l5 constituting the integral mass of wax removed from the water.The front design in relief 16 would constitute the underside of the waxremoved from the pan.

Typically dimensions might be 11 inches by 14 inches with a thickness offrom V4 to 1 inch. The resulting rectangular mass or plaque issemhtransparent so that if a source of light is placed behind theplaque, the multicolored relief designs 16 will be illuminated andprovide an attractive display.

In order to form the product described in FIGS. 1 and 2, additionalsteps of the method are performed after the integral mass of wax hasbeen removed from the pan. Thus, as shown in H6. 5 the integral mass ofwax 22 is wrapped about a cylindrical form 23. The circumference of thecylindrical form 23 corresponds substantially to the long dimension ofthe rectangular shape for the pan 17 so that the end edges of theintegral mass of wax will be juxtaposed after being completely wrappedabout the form.

Referring to FIG. 6, this juxtaposed position of the edges is shown at24. In accord with the last step of the method a hot iron or other heatsource may be moved along the juxtaposed edges to seal the same therebyproviding the open ended cylinder of wax such as shown at 13 in FIGS. 1and 2.

The thickness of this open ended cylinder may be controlled by theamount of wax poured into the pan and again may vary between one fourthto one inch although other thicknesses are possible. in the case offorming an open ended cylinder to be used as a lamp shade such asdescribed in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is desirable to limit the thickness tothe extent that the wax is sufficiently transparent to radiate somelight from the source within the cylinder.

Since it is substantially impossible to pour the wax onto the surface ofthe water in the pan in an identical manner each time a product is to bemade, each product is necessarily unique in relief design so that anypurchaser of such product formed in accord with the method of thisinvention will be assured of having something entirely unique.

While only two specific types of products such as lamp shades andplaques have been described herein, it will evident that the method setforth can be utilized to make up many different types of free form waxproducts. Thus while the perimeter of the pan [7 in H0. 4

has been shown as rectangular, it could be circular or any otherarbitrary shape for the formation of different types of plaques havingcorresponding contours. The invention accordingly is not to be though ofas limited to the specific embodiment set forth merely for illustrativepurposes.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of making free form wax designs com prising the steps of:filling a shallow pan having a perimeter following a desired contourwith cool water; melting a given quantity of wax sufficient to cover thearea of the surface of the water in said pan to a given thickness;pouring the melted wax onto the surface of said water after the water isstationary by sweeping motions over the surface of the water following adesired path until the entire surface of the water is covered to saiddesired thickness, the pouring being done from a desired height abovethe water so that the wax penetrates the surface of the water as itstrikes the surface and waiting until said wax at least solidifies tothe extent that it can be removed from said pan as an integral mass ofwax, the contour of said mass following that of the pan and theundersurface of the wax exhibiting a design in relief determined to agiven extent by the sweeping path followed while pouring said wax intosaid pan and by the height above the water that the wax is poured.

2. The method of claim 1, in which said given quantity of wax is dividedinto separate containers and is colored different colors so that pouringof the wax onto the surface of the water can be done from alternatecontainers to provide a multi-colored integral mass of wax.

3. The method of claim 1, in which said mass of wax is permitted tosolidify completely after removal from said pan to provide asemitransparent plaque.

i i k

1. A METHOD OF MAKING FREE FORM WAX DESIGNS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: FILLING A SHALLOW PAN HAVING A PERIMETER FOLLOWING A DESIRED CONTOUR WITH COOL WATER: MELTING A GIVEN QUANTITY OF WAX SUFFICIENT TO COVER THE AREA OF THE SURFACE OF THE WATER IN SAID PAN TO GIVEN THICKNSS: POURING THE MELTED WAX ONTO THE SURFACE OF SAID WATER AFTER THE WATER IS STATIONARY BY SWEEPING MOTIONS OVER THE SURFACE OF THE WATER FOLLOWING A DESIRED PATH UNTIL THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE WATER IS COVERED TO SAID DESIRED THICKNESS, THE POURING BEING DONE FROM THE DESIRED HEIGHT ABOVE THE WATER SO THAT THE WAX PENETRATES THE SURFACE OF THE WATER AS IT STRIKES THE SURFACE AND WAITING UNTIL SAID WAX AT LEAST SILIDFIES TO THE EXTENT THAT IT CAN BE REMOVED FROM SAID PAN AS AN INTEGRAL MASS OF WAX, THE CONTOUR OF SAID MASS FOLLOWING THAT OF THE PAN AND THE UNDERSURFACE OF THE WAX EXHIBITING A DESIGN IN RELIF DETERMINED TO A GIVEN EXTENT BY THE SWEEPING PATH FOLLOWED WHILE PURING SAID WAX INTO SAID PAN AND BY THE HEIGHT ABOVE THE WATER THAT THE WAX IS POURED.
 2. The method of claim 1, in which said given quantity of wax is divided into separate containers and is colored different colors so that pouring of the wax onto the surface of the water can be done from alternate containers to provide a multi-colored integral mass of wax.
 3. The method of claim 1, in which said mass of wax is permitted to solidify completely after removal from said pan to provide a semitransparent plaque. 